bike cred

For any readers unaware, the central American states are experiencing a record heat wave. Hot weather alerts have gone out for so many states and counties that they don't all fit on a single (or even 3) regional maps at the weather.com website.

When I left for my bicycle commute to work today around 11:15am, I checked the website first because the skies appeared to be growing stormy.  I saw that it was just a small formation, and we were only getting clipped by the edge of it here, so I went on my merry way to work.

As I left the house, the sky was so dark that the street lights were coming on.  I got about half a mile away before the wind hit with light rain.  I kept going.  Soon afterward, the rain was so heavy that I couldn't see where I was heading any more.  I couldn't wipe my eyes dry fast enough to avoid sticks and puddles.  There was also small hail.

I took shelter underneath a bridge in renovation.  Some kind person had previously torn down the chain link fence intended to keep people away from the bridge.  I hid there for about 15 minutes while the torrential rain, light hail, and frequent lightning went by.  Afterwards, the skies were cool and bright, and it made for a very nice commute to work.  I was soaked, but it was still pleasant.  Even late this evening, my tennis shoes are still soaked.

On the way home from work, the heat wave was back in force.  Here's the image (at left) that I snagged from weather.com before I changed at work into my still-wet bicycle clothes to begin my commute back home.  Yes, that heat index is at 48C/119F.  Yikes.

So, this summer, I've been traveling 85 miles each week, I've ridden when it was cold enough for my breath to fog and my eyes to water, I've ridden during downpours and hail, I've ridden during ridiculously high temperatures, and I've been lightly clipped by a passing car. I've even discovered that I'm actually down to the last of my tread on the rear wheel (knobby, wide, trail tread) of my bicycle.

I think I've finally earned some bicycler credentials this year.